Work On It Together: Partners Get Healthy When They Get Involved

Are you and your partner regularly involved in each other's lives? New findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine show that you're more likely to kick bad habits, like smoking, if you work on giving it up, together.

For the study, researchers at University College London in the UK examined data on 3,722 couples who were either married or cohabiting and over the age of 50. All participants were also involved in the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

Findings revealed that those more likely to exercise or lose weight, etc., had a partner who was actively helping out or working towards the same goals.

Furthermore, study findings showed that about 50 percent of women successfully quit smoking if their partner stopped when compared to 8 percent whose partners still smoked. Another 17 percent had success kicking the habit if their partners were non-smokers, with men having equal success if their partner made similar changes.

"Now is the time to make New Year's resolutions to quit smoking, take exercise, or lose weight. And doing it with your partner increases your chances of success," said lead author Sarah Jackson, in a news release.

"Making lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to our health and cancer risk, and this study shows that when couples make those changes together they are more likely to be successful," added Dr. Julie Sharp, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, which funded the study. "Getting some support can help people take up good habits."

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